The Redemption Of The Shadow King
by Master of The Blood Wolves
Summary: Alith Anar is caught by his enemies after winding up in Alagaesia.  After being sold in Dras Leona, Anar escapes, and vows revenge. In his quest, Anar meets an elven maid who may hold the key to his redemption, and his heart.
1. Chapter 1

**The Redemption Of The Shadow King**

Chapter One

Capture

**Disclaimer: I own neither the Inheritance Cycle, nor Warhammer.**

**Author's Note: This story is completely unrelated to my other stories, I've developed a bad habit where every story I write intersects with another one somehow, and I'm writing this stand-alone as a break from complex plots.**

**And, for reasons I can't fathom, this could very well become a romance.**

Alith Anar stalked stealthily through the brush of Athel Loren, tracking a marauding Dark Elf Dreadlord, and his war-party.

Just the thought of the traitorous elf and his depraved servants made Anar's mouth twist into a snarl of hate.

He'd spent the past several millennia fighting the corrupted elves in an attempt to extinguish their stain from existence; He and his Shadow Warriors that is, Alith corrected.

Up ahead, the trees were thinning.

Alith frowned in confusion, while the woods of Athel Loren were notorious for moving around, he was deep within the forest, where few clearings could be found.

But where they were, they made ideal places for large groups to camp.

Alith deftly drew the Moonbow from across his back, and fitted an arrow to the string, if the Dreadlord had made camp in the clearing, he'd end his days with Alith's black-feathered arrow buried in his heart.

When Alith came to the edge of the clearing, his frown returned, only deepened.

There weren't any lakes in Athel Loren, and nor were there vast plains!

Alith shook his head to clear it, but when he opened his eyes, the lake and the plain remained.

Cautiously, Alith stepped out into the open.

In years to come, Alith would be grateful that none of his Shadow Warriors knew of his mistake, and doubly grateful that the only Dark Elves to find out about his lapse died by his hand.

A burst of pain flooded Anar's vision, and he blacked out.

When he awoke, the first thing he saw, was the haughty face of his quarry.

'My, how the Witch King will be pleased to here of the downfall of the Shadow King.' Sneered the Dreadlord, Dromino Blackeheart, as he looked down on Anar.

'I'd kill you myself, but I prefer the thought of you spending the rest of your life in slavery.' Continued the elf, his pale, bloodless face contorted into a malicious grin.

'It'll be a warm, sunny day in Naggaroth when that happens.' Said Alith defiantly.

'But we aren't in the Old World now, upstart, or hadn't you noticed?' Said Dromino coolly.

'Yeah, I had, but I'm still going to kill you anyway.' Said Anar coldly, concealing his confusion.

Dromino's cold one steed bobbed it's scaly head, and Alith crashed onto the hard-baked ground.

Anar tried to rise, but he was bound hand and foot, and couldn't break his bonds.

He'd been stripped of his armour, and his sword, and the Shadow Crown and the Stone of Midnight were no longer in his possession.

'He is all yours human, along with his trinkets, for the agreed upon price.' Said Dromino to someone that Anar couldn't see.

Someone blind-folded him, and he felt a vicious kick from Dromino, then he was hoisted onto a saddle, and then, Alith Anar passed out.

**For all you Warhammer buffs, the reason Dromino didn't take the Stone of Midnight, or the Shadow Crown, was because he was more interested in something Alith's new human masters offered him.**

**Well, this is the start of yet another crossover, but it is the first Warhammer High Elves\Inheritance cycle crossover.**

**And, even though the fans of the **_**Shadow King **_**novel are probably going to kill me for OOC on the part of Anar, I'm going to enjoy this.**

**No one liner reviews please, and give me some detail on how you like this.**

**I'll see you all in chapter two.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Slave Auction

**Disclaimer: See last chapter**

When Alith awoke at last, he was dressed in only his shirt, breeches, and cloak.

His sword, armour, and arrows were gone, and so were the Shadow Crown, Moonbow, and Stone of Midnight.

He sat up, and noticed immediately, that he was unbound, in a cage, with other, gaunt and broken looking individuals.

Before Anar could begin asking questions, a trapdoor in the ceiling opened, allowing a ladder to be lowered into the cage, and several burly humans armed with whips and swords to enter.

The other occupants of the cage backed away in fear, but Alith stood up and stepped forward.

'Where am I?' Demanded Anar.

The guards didn't answer, but one of them whipped Anar across the chest, ripping open his shirt, revealing his hard-muscled and scarred chest, and leaving a stinging red welt.

Alith gritted his teeth in pain, but didn't back down.

The whip came again, but this time, Anar was ready, and caught the lash, and pulled his tormenter off balance.

That was when the other men rushed him, and pinned his arms behind his back, before hobbling him, and chaining his wrists in front of him.

Anar resisted, but soon gave it up as useless, as one of the humans whipped him across the face, leaving another nasty welt.

Several other occupants of the cage were also chained up, and then shackled to another chain connected to Anar's.

Alith tested the chain as quietly as he could.

It was a crude, unlovely thing, blackened with soot and age, but it was heavy, and strong, and Anar knew instantly it was useless trying to break it.

When the human brutes were done, they herded those chained to the heavy restraining chain out the trapdoor.

Anar offered a silent appeal to Morai-Heg to orchestrate painful deaths for his captors, after he was forced to hobble awkwardly up the ladder, and onto the stage above.

Clustered around the stage, was a sea of well dressed humans, eyeing the stage greedily.

Alith's heart leaped as he saw his weapons, armour, crown, and the Stone of Midnight on display off to one side.

A tall thin human, with several pyrite teeth filed Anar along until he stood amongst his possessions.

Anar gave a quick smirk at the man's stupidity, but this was soon dispelled, as his hands were manacled above his head to the tops of two posts, positioned so his arms were strained, fully extended, and he was off balance.

Many among the audience murmured with interest at the site of Anar.

Alith however, whose visage was already sharp and proud, framed by long, dark blonde hair, was staring at the crowd with the same defiant look as a cornered wolf has, before it strikes out, and his eyes were alive with a hatred he normally reserved for Malekith, and his traitorous _Druchii._

Then the human started talking, and as Anar really had nothing else to do, he listened.

'Greetings my lords and ladies, today, the slavers have truly excelled themselves, not _only_ do we have some fine young women from the southern plains, nor do we _only_ have healthy men from the Hadarac and the great plain, our esteemed supplier Kriegger has managed to come by this fine elven male, acquired by from an emissary to the king, from a distant land.

Anar spat in disgust. 'Dromino is no emissary, he's a black hearted-' Alith gave a pained snarl, as one of the burly bruisers put a heavy blow into his abdomen.

'As you can tell, he speaks a civil tongue if he so chooses to, and look at his physique!' Continued the thin man, as if Anar hadn't just spoken,.

'He's strong as an ox, he'd make a fine shield bearer, or if you don't trust him for that, hard labour, and, if any of you want him for gladiatorial combat, or just want a few fine trophies, the armour and weapons acquired with him only cost fifty crowns extra each.'

This created a stir among the crowd, and the auctioneer waited for quiet before rattling off the prices of the other slaves.

_Lileath, help me, I beg you._ Pleaded Alith silently. If his weapons, armour, Shadow Crown and the Stone of Midnight were sold to different buyers, there was little chance he'd see them again.

'The opening bid for the elf is five-hundred gold crowns,' said the auctioneer loudly, 'do I hear five-fifty?'

A rat faced man raised a hand, and flashed gaudy jewels.

'Five-fifty, do I hear six-hundred?' Called the auctioneer.

'One-thousand five-hundred.' Called a hawk nosed man, with short brown hair, and beady eyes.

'Do I hear One-six-hundred?' Called the auctioneer, looking around tentatively.

'That's for the elf, and his trinkets.' Stated the hawkish man loudly.

The silence remained, only this time it was resentful.

Anar couldn't help but give a relieved smile, the Maiden Goddess had heard his prayer.

_Thank you Lileath._ Thought Alith gratefully, as the crowd remained silent, and the auctioneer shouted 'Sold! To the man in the fur lined cloak!'

Anar's two burly minders unshackled him, then tied his hands behind his back, before placing his war-gear in an iron bound chest, with some care, before closing the chest, and taking both to a small holding cell in the side of a building.

One of the minders went back to the auction, but the other leaned on the iron bars, and appraised Anar curiously.

'I'd learn some respect for your master, elf, old Brandise doesn't take kindly too uppity slaves, even ones he forks out thousands for.' Said the minder.

Alith grinned despite himself.

'What's so funny? You're life is going to be one long misery until the day you die, and I'm just offering you a piece of advice gained from experience with the man, you don't want to cross him if you work for him, willingly or not.' Said the minder.

'You don't get it do you?' Said Anar, suppressing a truly amused laugh with difficulty.

'There's nothing to get elf, I used to work for Brandise as an overseer, I've flogged more than one slave to death on his orders, and so have others.' Said the minder.

'Your Brandise hasn't met another like me then.' Said Anar, cold as stone once more.

'Don't say I didn't warn you.' Said the minder, and turned away.

A moment later, the second minder came and threw a small girl in to the holding cell with him.

The minder who'd warned Anar against crossing his new master walked back to the stage.

The second minder was obviously trying to do his best to remain aloof, but eventually, he sighed, muttered a curse, then looked through at Anar.

Alith looked straight back at the fresh faced minder, and held his gaze.

'Going to warn me against crossing this ,'Brandise' man, human?' Enquired Anar coolly.

The second minder remained silent, and turned away, looking conflicted.

The young girl was huddled in a corner, sobbing in fear.

Despite his cold heart, Anar couldn't help but feel sorry for the child.

The door opened for a third time, and another human girl was thrown in, only this one looked to be about sixteen.

She looked to be as afraid as the sobbing child, but while the girl was sobbing, this young lady was struggling against the minder, who just steered the girl into the holding pen as if she were just walking meekly.

'You're Brandise must be a rich bastard.' Commented Anar loudly, to the first minder, as the second one walked off.

The minder chuckled despite himself.

'Aye, that's one way of putting it.' Said the minder, then fell quiet.

The young woman looked at Anar in fear, and went to comfort the little girl.

_The further they are from me, the further they are from harm._ Thought Anar, as yet another slave was thrown into the holding cell, only this time it was a young man, who was heavily muscled, with the tan of someone who'd spent a lot of time travelling.

Anar worked at trying to quietly loosen his bonds, but gave up, as five minutes later, Brandise himself came to the door, followed by several other men, all of whom bore whips and other weapons.

They entered the cell, and quickly shackled the slaves to another thick chain, then two of the overseers padlocked the chest Alith's effects were in, and carried it out, before putting it in a wagon.

Anar, and the other slaves were shackled behind the wagon, with Anar at the back of the line.

Brandise stood off to one side of the slaves.

'You all work for me now, until the days you die.' Stated Brandise, 'you will do exactly as I say, when I say, and if any of you disobey me, the punishment will be the worst I can devise short of actually killing you.' He continued as two of the overseers brought a man forward, who'd been badly beaten, and whipped.

'This man dared to defy me, and, he will demonstrate what the price of defiance is.' Said Brandise, then muttered something inaudible.

The whipped man suddenly choked, and then screamed in awful agony, horrid sores formed on his skin, and began seeping liquid shadow, which wrapped around the man.

Brandise made several gestures with his hand, and the man floated to his feet, and screamed again as the shadow solidified, trapping him in a block of smoky, shadowy glass.

Anar felt a chill creep down his spine.

_If I'm going to escape, I'd better manage it first time._ Realised Anar, as he stared at the block of smoky glass.

The overseers put the block of glass into the back of the wagon, then formed up around the slaves.

The wagon began to trundle forward, pulling the slaves along.

They staggered along behind the wagon for hours, heading north from the city.

Anar didn't notice the hardship, and even though the young girl in front of him soon began staggering in exhaustion, and attracting the whips of the overseers, he couldn't understand why until the young girl collapsed, and began to get dragged.

When this happened, Anar jogged faster, and scooped up the child as he filled the void, and attracting the whips of the slavers himself, as they jeered him, and tried to make him leave the girl to get dragged.

'Go bugger an orc!' Retorted Anar loudly after a particularly eloquent overseer claimed that Anar's father must have mated with a creature called an 'urgal' to get such a thick headed son.

Soon afterward, they reached their destination: a large, black stone castle, in the middle of a deep, encircling pit, lined with cave mouths, and walkways, situated in a barren, rocky wasteland, with few trees, and flat all the way to the horizon, only broken here and there by the odd sandstone monolith.

A drawbridge lowered from the castle, and the wagon clattered across.

Inside the castle's courtyard, Anar noted the guards: they were well armed, fairly disciplined, and well armoured, and had an air about them that bespoke superiority.

The slaves were unshackled from the wagon, and escorted them into a small building that was dimly lit.

'Captain!' Called Brandise, as Alith was about to enter the building. 'Bring the elf, and the young lady inside.' He ordered, then entered the castle, followed by two of the overseers, who carried the chest with Anar's equipment inside.

The captain nodded, and let Anar loose off the main chain, and moved on to the young woman.

The captain unshackled her, but his hands lingered on her body suggestively.

'I'll kill you if you try.' Warned Alith coldly.

The captain snorted derisively, then looked at Anar, there was no anger, or bluster in the elf's stance, only cold confidence, and calm certainty.

The captain shoved the girl away roughly, into Anar, before shackling them together, and herding them into the castle after Brandise.

**Well… drop a detailed review, and I'll see you next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Brandise's Challenge

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

The captain of Brandise's overseers made Anar and the young woman jog to catch up with his master, who was waiting, along with the open iron-bound chest, in a small study.

'Leave us.' Said Brandise, tersely to the two minders guarding the chest, and the captain.

'You can't guard her forever, elf.' Sneered the captain of the guard in Anar's ear.

'And you can't be sure of that.' Retorted Alith levelly.

The door close, and Brandise remained standing.

'Jierda.' Said Brandise, and Anar felt his shackles shatter from around his wrists.

Anar was immediately on guard: If Brandise was confident enough to allow Anar to be in the same room as him, unbound, then he was either very powerful, or very stupid.

Alith was leaning more towards powerful.

'Sit, this will probably be as comfortable as you'll be for some time.' Said Brandise, pouring a chalice of wine, and sitting behind an ornate desk.

Alith gave his would-be master an appraising look. 'Why, should I listen to a human, who has the temerity to try and enslave me?' Asked Alith evenly.

'Because, I'm going to make you an offer: a challenge actually.' Replied Brandise taking an appreciative draft of wine.

'If you mean to give me a challenge, what's she here for?' Asked Alith, gesturing to the girl standing next to him.

'Insurance,' said Brandise, 'I know that beneath the cold hate, and indifference, you care for what is right, and what is good, even for those outside of your race, so you wouldn't willingly do something that would endanger her, now would you?'

Alith was silent for a moment as he took a seat across from Brandise.

'Are you certain of that?' Asked Alith.

Brandise ignored him.

'Sit girl, you're in no danger as yet, and I'm sure you'd be most interested to here this proposition as well.' Said Brandise to the girl, who hadn't moved since she'd entered the room.

Hesitantly, the girl sat beside Alith.

Brandise poured them both drinks.

The girl drank greedily, but Alith took a cautious sip, and tasted for anything foreign.

Satisfied that the wine was untainted, he took a longer draught.

Brandise appraised Alith over his chalice. 'I believe that I am at a disadvantage, you, I am sure, are aware of my name, but I do not know yours.

Alith's face betrayed nothing. 'I am Alith Anar, Shadow King of Nagarythe, in northern Ulthuan.' Said Alith in a voice of defiant authority.

Brandise smiled wickedly. 'Well, _my lord_,' he said, 'I'm afraid your status means little in this land.'

'And where is this land exactly?' Asked Alith.

'This is the land of Alagaësia, but enough on that, I'm sure you want to here my challenge.' Replied Brandise.

'Well?' Asked Alith, interested despite himself.

'In all the years I've owned this place, and run the mine that encircles this castle, not one slave has ever escaped,' said Brandise, pouring himself another glass of wine. 'My guards are very efficient in their job, and the mine itself makes it very easy to apprehend would-be escapists.'

Alith saw where Brandise was going, and groaned internally.

'Frankly, I'm bored by it, I want to see a spectacle, whenever I hear word of an escape attempt, but every time, my guards succeed, and I end up with another prisoner in a smoked glass tomb.' Continued Brandise.

'So, I'm going to offer you the chance for you, and any who will follow you, at freedom, my challenge is simple: You must escape my mine, and my guards.' Said Brandise.

Alith considered it.

'A tad unfair: if I get anywhere near escaping, you'll put a spell on me.' Said Alith.

'And ruin the spectacle? Oh no, no, no, my dear Alith, that would defeat my own purpose.' Replied Brandise, taking a draft of wine.

'Well, what does this entail?' Asked Alith.

'Simple,' replied Brandise, 'I, will allow you back one piece of your equipment, for every person who will follow you, and the rest will be guarded by my overseers at points around the mine, when the challenge begins, you will have only one objective: Escape my mine, and castle alive.'

Alith considered, and thought hard.

The girl sitting next to him was obviously pleading silently for him to accept Brandise's challenge.

_No time for the guards to get used to me, and a clean run at freedom…_

'You're on.' Said Alith, draining his chalice, 'now, I think I'll have this,'-Alith took out his right vambrace, which had the Stone of Midnight set in it,- 'and this,' said Alith, taking his sword from the trunk.

Brandise also finished his wine. 'I said you were aloud one item for every person following you,' said Brandise, 'you have two.'

'Well, _I_ will be following me,' said Anar shortly.

'And I will as well.' Said the girl from where she sat.

Alith looked at Brandise, daring the man to disagree.

'The challenge shall commence in three hours time.' Said Brandise standing up.

'Slytha.' He said, and Alith and the young woman passed out.

**I'm not too sure about this chapter, what do you all think?**

**Review, but no one liners!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Alith's Escape

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

When Alith came too, the first thing he saw, was the concerned face of the girl who'd chosen to follow him in his escape, her face lit but uncertain, flickering torches outside the cell they were in.

She looked rather concerned, but Alith didn't care, Brandise's spell had put him into a restful sleep, and he was now feeling refreshed.

When he sat up, Alith immediately noticed that his sword was lying next to him on the rough cut floor, but he couldn't find his vambrace and The Stone of Midnight.

Alith looked at the girl again, her look of concern hadn't passed.

'What's wrong?' Asked Alith sharply.

The girl averted her eyes, and mutely showed Alith her arm: His vambrace was closed around her forearm.

Alith gave the girl a look, then proceeded to unbuckle the vambrace, and fasten it to his own arm.

'I'm going to assume that you woke up with that already on your arm,' said Alith shortly, before picking up his sword and standing.

'Yes my lord.' Said the girl reverently.

'What is your name?' He asked, extending a hand and helping her to her feet.

Alith looked at her closely for the first time: She was rather pretty,-for a human,-in Alith's eyes, and by the look of her, probably wasn't done growing; despite her obvious charms, Alith noted that she was well muscled,-her dirty, short-sleeved shirt showed off well muscled arms.

'Kárah is my name, my lord Anar.' Said the girl in an awed tone.

Alith waved the civility aside, he'd long ago stopped bothering with it, his title was only valid among his Shadow Warriors to start with.

'No need for epithets, human, my title only matters to those who share my quest.'

Kárah bowed her head. 'Of course, she said courteously.

Alith walked to the door, and peered out cautiously.

The hall, like the cell he and Kárah were in, was rough cut, and uneven, with a sputtering torch here and there, casting flickering, uncertain shadows.

A pair of guards stalked down the hall.

With his preternatural sight, Alith picked out that each overseer had a whip, a dagger, and a sword.

A third man, walking slightly behind the two, wore a brown habit, and had a intricate, yet simple circlet of silver, set with a single diamond upon his head: The Shadow Crown.

Alith waited till the guards had passed, and the third man had gone a little way down the passage, before he slid his sword into the gap between the door and the wall, then wound up, and brought the sword down on the latch with pin-point accuracy, neatly severing it, with a clean _sching!_

Alith opened the door wide quickly, then motioned for Kárah to stand beside the side of the door opposite him.

Not five seconds later, the two guards burst into the cell, looking alarmed.

Alith stabbed the first through the heart, before spinning on the ball of his foot, and throwing his sword, impaling the robed man through the solar plexus.

With preternatural speed, Alith turned back around, in time to see the overseer, with Kárah by the hair, in his left hand, and a sword in his right.

As he prepared to decapitate girl, Alith darted forward and brought his forearm around in a strike, driving his elbow into the man's windpipe, crushing it.

The overseer collapsed, thrashing, eyes rolling madly.

Alith picked up the guard's fallen sword, and put the man out of his misery with a deliberate thrust through the heart.

Alith pulled the blood slicked blade free, then unbuckled the guard's belts.

He discarded the first guard's sword, and whip, and passed the second man's belt to Kárah, who wordlessly sheathed the sword and belted it too her waist.

Alith belted on his own sheath, before nodding to the whip Kárah had.

'Get rid of it.' He said quietly, before exiting the cell, and extracting his sword from the robed man's chest.

Then Alith removed the Shadow Crown from the foolish human's head, and reverently placed it on his own head.

Kárah exited as he stood up.

Wordlessly, she followed Alith as he walked confidently towards the place where the guards had originally come from.

They rounded a bend, and Kárah nearly stopped short as she saw another set of guards coming down the hall, but followed Alith's lead and just kept walking, as if she were meant to be there.

Suddenly, a faint scream split the air, and Alith hesitated.

He'd heard the sound before.

Long ago during the terrible age of the Sundering, that had rent the elves of Ulthuan in twain, heard it whenever he and his Warriors launched surprise attacks against _Druchii_ revelling in the sack of an innocent settlement that supported the Phoenix King.

It was the sound of terror from a witness of a rape or someone about to be raped.

The two guards chuckled.

'Looks like Cap' Normca finally managed to tie down that pointy-bitch.' Said one.

'Maybe he'll save some for us when 'e's done, suggested the other with a malicious grin.

Kárah couldn't work out what the two were talking about, but Alith seemed to know.

In one fluid motion, he drew his sword, leaped forward, and decapitated the two guards with one stroke.

They collapsed in twin sprays of blood.

Alith then turned on the ball of his foot and pounded past Kárah, in the direction of the screams.

Kárah followed as well as she could, but she couldn't hope to keep up with Alith's speed.

She needn't have worried, the trail of corpses and blood-slicks in his wake were as good as any path.

Whoever got in Alith's way got cut down without mercy.

Many guards heard him coming, and took a step back as they saw him:

He seemed to appear out of nowhere, a gore slicked, blue-cloaked, sword wielding, elven _nightmare, _that seemed to draw the shadows around him, making him flicker in the uncertain light_._

A few put up resistance for a moment, but they were swiftly dealt with, then Alith ran on, towards the terrified screams.

When Alith reached a right-angle corner, and saw bright fire-light flickering off the walls, along with the screaming coming loudly from around the corner, he concentrated hard on the Stone of Midnight, and slowed his pace, the shadows danced around him, rendering him as an uncertain shadow.

Alith lunged around the corner, and hurled the knife on his belt at the guard in the archway beyond.

It caught him between the ribs, and he fell with a thump.

Alith ran past him, and snatched his knife from the guard's chest, along with the guard's knife.

Alith threw the guard's knife underhand, and caught a man who was kneeling over a woman in the forehead with a spurt of blood, before he fell backwards.

The second knife caught an onlooker in the side of the neck, and he screamed once, then hit the ground, blood pouring from the wound.

That got the other guards' attention.

Alith let loose a war cry: 'I am Alith Anar, Shadow King of Nagarythe!' He bellowed, the diamond set into the Shadow Crown flashed blindingly as time froze.

Alith kept moving fast, beheading two of the men, stabbing another, punching a fourth in the side of the head, breaking his neck.

Then time unfroze, the remaining four guards started as they saw Alith wasn't where he had been, and four more of their comrades were dead.

Alith bisected another at the waist spraying blood, everywhere, before one of the guards swung his sword at him by reflex, forcing Alith to parry, then the other guard joined the fight, and forced Alith onto the defensive.

All Alith could do was parry the two men's attack, he couldn't even risk invoking the shadow crown again, the effort would be too distracting.

He heard a click but didn't dare glance back.

A whistling caught Alith's attention, and he leaned over backwards, avoiding a slash that the third guard who'd hung back, and flanked him made.

Alith stabbed the interloper in the abdomen, before throwing a powerful, two handed side cut at his two main assailants.

It took one of the men by surprise, and Alith's sword lodged itself in his spine, leaving an ugly, deep slice in his right side, with the sword at it's end.

When the man fell, it wrenched the sword out of Alith's grip, and at the mercy of the final guard.

'Duck!' Shouted Kárah from the door.

Alith obeyed on trust, and instantly fell onto his back, as Kárah's sword spun a glittering, coruscating circle above him, before lodging in the man's neck, blood fountained along the length of the blade, as the guard gave a strangled gurgle and collapsed, twitching.

Alith looked over to where Kárah stood panting for breath and gave her a brief smile. 'Thank you.' He said shakily, then rolled to his feet.

* * *

Brandise sat at the desk in his small study, and watched the little mirror in front of him.

His eyebrows raised as he saw time freeze in the guardroom for an instant as Alith attacked, and his eyebrows rose higher as he saw that when time unfroze, four of his overseers were dead.

A fifth died in a messy spray of blood and intestines as Alith cut the man in half.

The fight was over a minute later as the girl who'd decided to support Alith threw a sword she'd acquired through the air and impaled the last guard through the neck.

Brandise winced, that must've hurt.

Then he scowled in annoyance as he noticed that Alith was gone again.

It'd happened since he'd exited the cell,-no before then, when he'd put on the vambrace,- Alith's mind had become exceedingly difficult to pinpoint, and nearly impossible to look into, and whatever magic hid him even interfered with Brandise's scrying to the point where he had to concentrate extremely hard just to _see_ the elf.

If his attention wandered, the elf disappeared.

But what perplexed Brandise was, why Alith had reversed course into a guardroom.

Brandise watched as Alith cut a naked human woman from where she was bound to manacles on the floor.

Brandise's eyes narrowed as he saw the woman:

She was tall and broad shouldered, with tanned, weather-beaten skin, black hair that was tangled and dirty, and a slightly handsome face, marred by an ugly bruise across the left hand side of her face.

When she opened her eyes, Brandise's scowl deepened: they were a luminous blue-green in the dark, but he knew they were normally a tawny yellow-brown.

He'd imprisoned her himself, as punishment for trying, and trying to kill him.

Then a evil smile spread across his face as he cut a second female free.

It was a she-elf he'd brought nearly a year previously in Aroughs.

'So you do have a heart beneath the hate Alith Anar, the Shadow King.' Said Brandise to himself.

* * *

Alith noted a filthy, torn smock lay discarded nearby.

He also noted the ugly scars that marred her wrists from the manacles she'd been wearing: they were red and inflamed, and torn skin dripped blood in places.

The woman stirred, and sat up, and Alith briefly held her gaze:

Her eyes were a unsettling gold-brown, like those of a wolf.

She struggled against him, but Alith ignored her as he cut her manacle off, and passed her the torn dress.

'Thank you elf,' she said tersely, 'but you should help your own, I don't think she'll deal with the trauma of nearly being raped without help.' Said the woman, climbing shakily to her feet, she leaned heavily against the table.

Alith nodded, and wiped his matted, blonde hair from his brow. 'A brave one you are.' Said Alith, then turned his attention to the elf the woman had mentioned.

She to, had been stripped naked, but where the woman had been bound with rope, the elven lady had been bound in chain, and chained to rings set in the floor to boot.

The elf was sobbing heavily, and struggling pitifully against her bonds.

'Hold still.' Still Alith neutrally: He had little time for those who'd dwell on past torment instead of moving on.

With four fast strokes, the chains around her wrists and ankles had been cut through.

With a few more deft cuts, Alith had the elf free.

She was still crying, only now it was obvious it wasn't just trauma: She was in pain.

Alith couldn't see any physical injuries on her.

'She's been poisoned.' Said the woman from beside Alith.

'What with?' Asked Alith calmly: panic would just make things worse.

The woman went over to the man that Alith's dagger had scuered through the forehead, and began examining his belt.

'She was poisoned using a rare toxin called the Skilna Bràgh, it's only antidote is a rare panacea called Túnivor's Nectar, and this bastard was the one responsible for administering it.' Said the woman, opening a small flask and sniffing it's contents. She made a face, and closed it, before throwing it aside in disgust.

'Garjzla.' She said tersely. Nothing happened. 'Garjzla!' She exclaimed in irritation, and a weak, but steady light filled the chamber.

She pulled a slightly larger flask off of the dead man's belt, and opened it, gave it a sniff, and poured some into the cap.

It was a oily, gold liquid, that smelled quite sweet.

'Hold her still, if this is spilled, she'll die.' Said the woman, and Alith obeyed, holding the thrashing she-elf's arms by her side, and kept her head straight.

The woman pinched the elf's nose until she was forced to take a breath, then tipped the capful of Nectar down her throat.

The she-elf swallowed, convulsed once, then lay still with a peaceful sigh.

Alith noticed that her skin, burning hot seconds before, was beginning to cool quickly, and her breathing was less laboured.

The woman smiled, and flicked her hair, revealing her to be another human.

'And who might you be elf?' Asked the woman in a slightly mocking tone.

'Alith Anar.' Said Alith tersely, quickly stripping the guards' corpses of knives, keys, canteens and anything else he deemed useful.

The woman eyed her own torn smock with something somewhere between loathing and hatred.

With a disgusted snort, she quickly pulled on the captain's clothes, which were marginally less bloody than the other guards, most of whom had been killed messily, and were covered in blood.

The she-elf stirred, her eyes flickering.

Alith crossed to her in two quick steps and helped her into a sitting position.

'Easy there.' He said gently, and pressed a water canteen into her hand.

The elf looked up at him, as Alith felt her tense.

Then he felt her freeze as their eyes met.

Alith's breath caught, as she met and held his gaze.

He saw the surprise in her eyes, followed almost instantly by relief.

She embraced Alith, and then began to sob all over again.

Alith patted her back weakly, and felt his anger rise as he felt blood weeping from cracked scabs, and old scars, the she-elf also tensed in discomfort as his hands found bad bruises, and fairly recent burns from brands.

When Alith felt these he felt hot hatred well within him, to be replaced almost immediately by the mocking, black visor of the Witch King, Malekith.

He was Alith Anar! Shadow King of Nagarythe, sworn to kill the Witch King Malekith, and every last one of Malekith's followers!

And here he was giving cold comfort to some girl in the depths of a slave-pit in a land he'd never even heard of.

Tales of him were told in hushed whispers by the elves of Ulthuan: He and his Shadow Warriors were scantly better than his hated foes in their eyes.

Alith quickly put such thoughts aside, and disentangled himself from the she-elf's embrace.

She drank greedily from the canteen that Alith pressed into her hand this second time.

'Put these on,' said Alith throwing a set of clean clothes from a chest in the corner to the she-elf.

A thorough sweep of the room revealed little else of use.

A gentle touch on the shoulder made Alith pause as he rifled through a desk, looking for a map of the slave-pit.

'Yes?' He asked, impatiently not turning around.

Silence.

Alith swore quietly and turned around.

There stood the she-elf, looking slightly self conscious.

Alith took a proper look at her now than he had before.

She was slightly shorter than him, with angled features, cat-like, blue eyes, and hair the colour of a raven's wings, that reached well below her narrow shoulders.

To any mere mortal she would appear simply as a proud, unbroken and confident beauty.

Alith saw the truth:

The elf that stood before him was young by the standards of his race, and little more than a toddler compared to him.

She had been put through emotional and physical torture, and Alith knew by the slight slump of her shoulders, and the haunted look in her eyes that she'd very nearly been broken.

'Thank you.' She said quietly, and at length.

Alith couldn't help but give a tight smile. 'We're not out of here yet.' He said, and tossed a sword that had been on a weapons rack on the wall to her. 'And if we want to get out, we'll have to fight our way out.' He said, positioning his looted daggers so he could get to them, but they wouldn't fall out of his belt.

Walking briskly back into the corridor where Kárah and the wolf-eyed woman,-who'd called herself Rosanna,- stood keeping watch.

'Come on, we've got a way to go yet before we're free.' He said, leading the other three down the rough-cut hall.

**Next chapter will hopefully move a little faster than that, and I apologise again if I've got Alith Anar out of character.**

**If I have, I blame the fact I haven't read **_**Shadow King**_** yet.**

**When I do, and if I have got Alith out of character, I'll rewrite this.**

**But let me know what you think in a review, and I'll see you next time.**

**No one-liners!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The Winding Path

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

Alith saw daylight up ahead, and slowed his pace, and began walking close to the wall.

The other three followed his lead.

When they came to the cave mouth, Alith cautiously peered out.

They were about halfway up the pit, and from the left of the entrance, a path wound down.

Three men could walk abreast down it without trouble.

The path also wound upward on the right, headed for the surface.

A hundred metres straight ahead from the entrance, in the middle of the pit was a single, solid tower of stone,-rough cut like the wall of the pit.

It was on this pillar, maybe a mile overhead, where Brandise's palace sat.

Kárah, Rosanna and the she-elf shivered at the seemingly impossible feat of architecture, but Alith was more concerned by what he saw on the higher stretches of the road:

Every now and then, a large platform extended out from the path.

On these platforms stood massive bolt-throwers, mounted on swivelling bases, and hinged so they could fire at a higher or lower level.

And around each weapon stood five guards, alert and watchful.

Leaning back against the wall, he turned to Rosanna.

'Are there any other ways out of here?' He asked shortly.

Rosanna shook her head. 'No, the only way out of here is to run the gauntlet of bolt-throwers.' She said firmly.

Alith nodded. 'I was afraid you'd say that.' He said, straining his eyes to find his bow and quiver.

'What is that light?' Wondered the she-elf they'd rescued before.

Alith quickly pulled the girl back into the cover of the cliff, as he looked where she was pointing.

Sure enough, a glow like the full moon could be seen from the platform above.

Alith smiled. 'That is my bow, young one, and keep in cover next time.' He hissed the last part.

'Eréniyä.' She said firmly.

'What?' Asked Alith.

'My name is Eréniyä.' She said again.

'Well stay out of sight next time, or you'll get us all killed.' Hissed Alith, as he spied a guard patrolling on the path below with his quiver on his back.

A rope was thrust under Alith's nose, and he glanced at Eréniyä.

'How did you do that?' He asked.

'I took it from the guard room.' She answered quietly.

Alith nodded his thanks, and quickly tied the rope off on one of the support struts of the platform above, before taking the loose end in his left hand, and drawing his sword.

Rosanna spied the guard below.

'You're kidding right?' She asked with a frown.

'No,' said Alith, then jumped off the edge of the path, and swung in behind the guard.

Alith was pleased to see that the rope was longer than it had looked, and he quickly climbed it so that he was behind the guard.

Stealthily, he put his hand across the guard's mouth, to suppress his surprised shout, then he stabbed the guard in the back, and twisted the knife, before extracting the knife, and his quiver of black feathered arrows, then cast the man off the cliff.

The man screamed the whole way down.

Alith ignored the screams as he scurried up the rope, deftly untied it, then motioned for the others to follow him as he ran up the spiral path, as the first spear-sized bolt struck the path at waist height in front of him.

* * *

Brandise leaned forward with interest as he watched Alith quietly murder a guard a level below where his followers waited, and stole back his quiver, before climbing up the rope again like a spider, then leading his party up the Winding Path as bolts and arrows came whistling from the upper reaches of the road.

* * *

It took all of Alith's concentration, but all the bolt-thrower shots went wide, mainly due to the effects of the Stone of Midnight making them so hard to hit.

'Everyone, link hands!' Called Alith, holding his hand out to Eréniyä.

Eréniyä obeyed, grasping his wrist, Alith clamped his hand around her wrist, and when Rosanna called her readiness Alith cried out again:

'I am Alith Anar! Shadow King of Nagarythe!' He shouted, setting off a thunderous echo.

The diamond in the Shadow Crown blazed blindingly, and time stood still for everyone but Alith and his followers, the echo of Alith's voice sustained the spell for longer than in the guardroom, and they'd reached two thirds of the way to the bolt thrower where the wielder of the Moonbow was.

Then the echoes died, and time continued on.

Only now, the guards had completely lost them.

They soon found them again though.

'Ceyl Lathain Sariour!' Bellowed Alith in the language of Ulthuan, before cleaving the head of a operator of a bolt thrower's skull in half.

Another two men died by Alith's masterful swordsmanship, toppling backwards off the platform.

Eréniyä stabbed a fourth through the chest, and punched the fifth in the head, spraying blood and teeth everywhere, and throwing the man clean off the platform.

Alith grabbed the wrist of the man wielding his bow, and broke it with a sharp twist.

'I'll take this,' said Alith, taking his bow back as the man screamed.

A hard kick to the groin sent the man off the edge of the platform after his comrades.

Fluidly, Alith drew an arrow, sighted a bolt thrower, and released, before repeating the procedure with a bolt thrower below that had just fired on them.

'That won't do any- Shade's Blood!' cried Rosanna as she saw the bolt from the thrower below split in half, then saw the arrow snap the skein of the thrower itself, and go through the foot of one of the soldiers into the wooden support.

Alith laughed aloud. 'Flee for your miserable lives you foolish black hearted wretches!' He bellowed, before putting an arrow through the skull of a crossbowmen and pinning the guard behind the bowmen to the wall through the gut.

* * *

Brandise could only watch with mounting frustration as all he saw was a blur in his mirror, and all he could hear was Alith declaration of his rule, which had triggered yet another time stop, but unlike the last one, this one dragged on and on as the echoes rebounded off the rough hewn walls of the mine.

When time unfroze again Brandise watched tensely as his overseers searched for Alith's band.

It was just so _intense_ watching the elf and his followers closing in on the nearest bolt thrower.

When Alith shouted, 'Ceyl Lathain Sariour!' Brandise recoiled, as if stung, the words felt painful to his ears.

Then he watched with even greater interest as Alith used his bow to dismantle the bolt throwers.

'I think I may have underestimated you, Alith Anar, King of Shadows.' Brandise said to himself, before rising, and walking from the study, taking the mirror with him.

* * *

Another group of guards and overseers stood ahead, spears lowered, bows ready.

They were met by a withering hail of rapid fire shots, that often went through one, two, three or more men, before flying a distance further and clattering to the ground.

The survivors of the barrage were cut down without mercy by Alith's party.

Alith sighted along his bow once more, and noted with a sense of relief that they were getting close to the top of the Winding Path.

Yet more guards threw themselves at the four, while behind them archers shot at them.

The arrows either missed, hit the backs of the charging guards, or were turned aside by Rosanna's magic, and the protective powers of the Stone of Midnight.

Alith shouldered his bow on the run, making the simple movement appear to be an art form, such was the ease with which he did it, and drew his sword.

Eréniyä, who'd proved to be a proficient sword wielder, was only a step behind Alith.

Kàrah and Rosanna were keeping up, but only because Alith and Eréniyä were pacing themselves.

They to, had claimed several kills.

A lateral swipe from Alith's sword disembowelled one unlucky overseer, and Eréniyä stabbed two others before the fight descended into a desperate mêlee.

Kàrah and Rosanna tipped the balance when they came in behind Alith and Eréniyä, and maimed another pair of guards who'd been ganging up with two others on the elves to try and stop them.

The last two guards fell writhing and crying out in pain, and Alith and company pressed on.

With a sigh of relief, Alith stepped onto level ground.

A quick glance revealed that a run-down wall was the last barrier between them and freedom.

An arrow whistled past Alith's leg and pinned the hem of his cloak into the mud.

Maybe not the last obstacle…

In one fluid motion, Alith drew, sighted and fired, taking down the archer responsible, and repeated the procedure as he saw another archer about to take a shot at his fleeing party.

As he turned to follow Rosanna, Kàrah and Eréniyä a voice rang out from the walls of the castle.

'Anar!' Called out Brandise.

Alith turned bow at the ready. 'We win Brandise, I, and my followers defeated your mine, and your guards, now you must uphold your promise, and let us go.' Alith called back in reply.

'Not quite, I said you had to _escape_ my mine and my guards.' Said Brandise with a wicked grin.

'And now I unleash my greatest guard,' said Brandise, raising his arms to the sky, 'Ethgri!' He bellowed, an instant before Alith's arrow went through his heart, and lodged in the castle wall behind him.

It was to late though, Alith drew another arrow as the sky darkened, and a man dressed in Alith's armour stepped forward, with a sword in his hand.

A crackling orb of energy, the approximate size of a fist shot from a gem set in a ring on Brandise's finger and smote the man between the shoulders, then there was blinding flash.

When Alith opened his eyes, he found that Eréniyä was beside him, trying to pull him along.

'Come on, run, before that thing notices you.' She hissed fearfully.

Alith looked towards where the man had been, and met the man's eyes.

Where before they had been brown, now they were wine red, his skin was as bloodless and pale as Dromino's had been, and his hair was a shade darker than his eyes.

'I am Nietsrac the shade, fear me.' Said the shade, smiling evilly.

**Now how many of you saw that coming?**

**Not many right?**

**Review please.**

**No one-liners!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

A Parting of Ways

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

Nietsrac stared around lazily, while Alith stood with his bow at ease.

'That thing is far beyond you, Alith Anar.' Whispered Eréniyä fearfully.

It was at that moment that Nietsrac noticed Alith.

'You.' Growled the shade menacingly pointing out Alith with the hand that gripped his sword, which had been scorched matte black when the spirit had fused with the man's body.

Alith also noted with some regret that the possesion had corrupted and despoiled his armour.

'I challenge you to a duel elf, for trapping me in this wretched body!' Said the shade.

Alith could feel the thing trying to get a grip on his mind, and he could almost _see_ it's twisted and buckled mindscape, capable of driving mortals mad.

Alith silently thanked Lileath and Kirnous, not for the first time, that he'd been able to steal the Stone of Midnight from Morathi.

'Anything I should know?' Alith asked Eréniyä quietly.

'Shades can only be killed by a thrust through the heart, they're extremely strong, and they're highly powerful magic users.' Said Eréniyä, trying one last time to pull Alith away.

Alith shrugged her off and stepped forward, bow pointed at the ground, with an arrow nocked.

'Name yourself, so I may know who it is that trapped me, and who I will have slain.' Said Nietsrac raising his blade in front of him.

Alith stood, and brought his bow up to full draw, his thumb nearly touching the base of his ear.

'I am Alith Anar, Shadow King, and rightful ruler of Nagarythe.' He said clearly and defiantly.

The Shadow Crown's diamond blazed to life once more, pausing time for an eye blink, in which Alith released his arrow.

The arrow slammed home through Nietsrac's corrupted armour, and buried itself in the shade's heart just as time started once more.

The shade looked at the arrow with curious interest, then looked back at Alith.

Then Nietsrac laughed uproariously as his skin turned translucent, revealing not flesh, but pure white light.

The skin split along the bulges of the muscles, and then Nietsrac exploded in a blinding flash of light.

When Alith lowered his arm, all was quite.

His armour, arrow, Nietsrac, and the sword he'd wielded had been vaporised, but where the shade had been standing a fist-sized orb of blue-white light hovered woozily.

It seemed to come to itself, and drifted over to Alith, and circled him.

Eréniyä warily approached, and put a hand on Alith's arm, making him lower his bow.

'It is no longer a shade Alith, but a spirit, and I think it wants to thank you.' said Eréniyä quietly.

Alith slowly shouldered his bow, and replaced the arrow in his quiver.

The spirit hovered at chest height to Alith.

'What now?' Asked Alith edgily.

Eréniyä didn't reply; Instead, she placed her hand on the ball of light, and Alith watched as her weary features were lit with transcendent joy.

After a long moment, she lowered her hand, her hair had stood on end throughout the contact, and Alith couldn't help but scowl at the scarring, and old burns he saw.

Then the spirit hovered once more in front of Alith.

Hesitantly, he placed a hand on the ethereal being.

It seemed to resist his touch, as if there was a force that repelled his hand from it ever-so-gently.

When his hand came into contact with the creature, the Shadow Crown, and the Stone of Midnight blazed shockingly bright, and Alith immediately felt happier and more content than he ever had.

After roughly five thousand years of savage and ruthless warfare against the Dark Elves, in a bitter quest for vengeance for the death of his family, and the destruction of the life he should've had, it was a far more profound experience than even the aftermath of the oath he and his Shadow Warriors had sworn to Lileath to hunt down, and kill every last Dark Elf.

The spirit flowed around the protective enchantments of the Stone of Midnight, and the Shadow Crown, seeming to take great interest in them, before entering his mind, and looking curiously through his memories.

Alith noticed that the spirit seemed to like everything to a greater or lesser extent, but after facing the thing when it had possessed Brandise's slave not two minutes earlier, Alith surmised that it was an illusion.

The spirit made several circuits through his body, and lingered on his memories, particularly those of his distant youth in ancient Nagarythe, before the Sundering.

All the while, Alith revelled in the feelings of bliss and peace that the contact brought him.

It also gave Alith pause, for it showed him just how bitter and hateful he'd become since he'd sworn vengeance.

Finally, the spirit broke the contact, and Alith collapsed, panting.

A tear trickled down his face, and Alith let t run down his cheek, he had reason to be sad.

The spirit circled them lazily several times, then with a flash of light, shot off to the east.

Alith sat up shakily, and saw Rosanna and Kàrah watching him.

'Strike hard, strike fast, Shadow King, for here our paths diverge, may we meet again.' Said Rosanna, as she and Kàrah headed off southward.

''til we meet again!' Alith called after them, then drew his sword, and stalked back to the Winding Path.

'What are you doing?' Asked Eréniyä seeing Alith.

Alith looked back at her. 'Freeing the others that that Chaos spawn enslaved.' He said.

'You don't need to, the spirit freed them after you freed it,' explained Eréniyä, catching hold of Alith's arm.

Alith looked at her. 'It told you this?' He asked coolly.

Eréniyä nodded emphatically. 'It was very happy about being free of Brandise's enslavement itself.' She said in way of explanation.

The ghostly echo of a multitude cheering echoed from the depths of the slave-pit.

'You're right.' Said Alith in wonder.

Eréniyä gave Alith a shy smile. 'So what are you going to do now?' She asked him curiously.

Alith thought for a moment.

'I'm going to find a safe place to hide, recuperate, then go and kill the ones responsible for my enslavement in the first place, then find my way back to Ulthuan.' He said at last.

'What of you, young one? Where might you be headed?' Alith asked.

Eréniyä shrugged. 'I am going to return to my home in Du Welden Varden to the north.' She said with a slight tremor in her voice.

Alith gave her a blank look.

Eréniyä glanced at Alith and caught the look on his face. 'How is it you do not know of Du Welden Varden if you are an elf?' Asked Eréniyä.

Alith shook his head.

'I will tell you, but let us put some distance between us and this place before the day grows any older.' He said, before climbing to his feet and starting northward, with Eréniyä at his side.

* * *

That night, they camped in a small indentation in the ground, surrounded by large boulders, that concealed them from view, and Alith decided it was worth the risk for a fire.

Now they sat opposite each other, while a small fire crackled merrily, and a pair of rabbits roasted over the flames.

Eréniyä had been horrified when Alith had come back with the two rabbits, and had refused to eat them.

Alith shrugged. 'Go hungry then.' He said as he went about spitting them over the fire.

Now the rabbits were cooked through, and Alith took the spit from the flames.

'You sure you don't want some?' Asked Alith with concern.

Eréniyä shook her head vehemently. 'I refuse to partake of the flesh of an animal.' She said. 'And you should be ashamed of yourself, killing an innocent animal simply to eat it.' She added.

Alith frowned. 'Kirnous, the god of the hunt does not frown on those who take only what they need, and do not kill for sport, why go hungry?' Asked Alith, 'there is no sin in hunting to sustain yourself.'

Now it was Eréniyä's turn to frown. 'Gods do not exist, and using such an excuse to justify killing an innocent creature is…' She broke off and retreated into a shell of silence.

Alith's frown deepened. 'If you do not believe in the gods of the Asur, what do you believe in then?' Probed Alith.

Eréniyä looked at Alith. 'We do not worship at all.' She said shortly.

Alith looked at her sharply.

'I think that we both have some explaining to do.' Said Alith, giving Eréniyä a long look until she met his gaze.

She nodded. 'I think we do.' She agreed.

**The next chapter is going to be a lot of background on the High Elves and Alagaësian Elves.**

**Or, it might be after that particular conversation.**

**We'll see, but your opinion could sway it either way.**

**Drop me a review and tell me what you thought of the chapter, and let me know if you want the long or short version of the two histories.**

**No one-liners!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Of The Asur and The Alagaësians

**Disclaimer: See Chapter Two**

**For anyone who has read the High Elves Army Book, and is a fan of the Inheritance cycle, I apologise for putting you through this.**

**This chapter explains about Alith Anar and Ulthuan and the Sundering for those poor people who are yet to be bitten by the hobby bug and don't know the joys of Warhammer and war-gaming. Yet.**

**It also is a brief history of the elves in the Inheritance cycle.**

Alith leaned back against a mossy patch on one of the granite boulders that concealed their fire from unfriendly eyes.

'You first young Eréniyä, this is your homeland, thus your story is more important than mine, for I am lost.' Said Alith, as he began eating one of the spitted rabbits.

Eréniyä made a revolted face, then began her tale:

'The elves are not native to Alagaësia, we come from a land across the sea; only the dragons, dwarves, and a few others can claim to be the true inhabitants of this land.' Said Eréniyä frowning as she recalled the histories she had been taught.

'When the elves first came across the sea, we were as mortal as humans are today; a few years after our arrival here, a young elf made a deadly mistake: he hunted down a dragon like he would a deer and killed it, not realising that the dragons were as sentient as our people were.' Eréniyä paused, and caught the look of disgust on Alith's face.

'I take it that that callow elf was punished harshly by his elders?' Enquired Alith levelly.

Eréniyä shook her head. 'No, he wasn't punished, when the dragons learned of the elf's actions, they slew the youth responsible, but the bloodshed didn't stop there: The dragons banded together and attacked the entire elven nation.' Said Eréniyä, and Alith could see the sadness in her eyes at the black spot in her people's history.

'To simplify a long and complicated series of events, there was a very long and very bloody war that both sides have come to regret; the war went on for nearly five years, and would've been much longer if an elf called Eragon hadn't found an abandoned egg.'

'No one knows if the egg was abandoned purposefully or not, but Eragon saw the value of raising a dragon that wasn't hostile towards us.' Explained Eréniyä, seeing the question on Alith's lips.

'When his dragon was big enough, they travelled together, and managed to engender a treaty between us and the dragons, a treaty that took the greatest spell weavers of the time five years to devise the right spell, and it was so powerful that the dragons had to supply their strength to fuel it.

When the treaty was forged, it had some unexpected results: The Dragons gained the ability to communicate with their minds, and some of their fiercer traits were mellowed.

The change was greater on us: We became stronger, faster, fairer, and we also became immortal.'

For the next two hours, Alith listened as Eréniyä told an epic tale of the Dragon Riders, of the coming of humans to Alagaësia, of the urgals, and the other inhabitants of Alagaësia, and finally, the fall of the riders to Galbatorix and the thirteen Forsworn.

'Galbatorix has ruled the humans of Alagaësia for nearly a century since, but the Forsworn have all died from various causes, although a human rider who lost his dragon to one of the Forsworn, a man by the name of Brom, killed three of them personally, and was responsible for the deaths of five others.'

Also, there's a group of rebel freedom fighters called the Varden that have been fighting Galbatorix for the past century, and a small group of human cities succeeded the empire and formed a small country called Surda to the south of it.' Said Eréniyä, remembering.

'So the dragons of this land are extinct?' Asked Alith disappointed.

Eréniyä shook her head. 'No, Galbatorix salvaged three eggs from the ruins of Dorù Areaba, and about twenty years ago, shortly before the last of the member of the Wyrdfell was killed by Brom, one of the eggs was stolen from Galbatorix's treasury, and has been ferried between the Varden and us ever since.' Said Eréniyä.

'I wish I had've made it to Osilon last year, maybe the egg would've hatched for me…' Said Eréniyä wistfully.

'So, that's everything I know of Alagaësia, now, what about you? What's your story, Alith Anar, Shadow King of Naggarythe?' Asked Eréniyä leaning back against a rock behind her.

Alith was silent for a moment as he tapped the now bare spit against his knee.

Finally, when he spoke, it was in a voice of unimaginable sadness, wreathed with bitterness.

'I may not look it, but I am nearly five thousand and twenty seven years old.' He said.

'For the first twenty years of my life, I was the prince of house Anar, and my family dwelt near the border of Naggarythe, and the kingdom south of it Avelorn.'

'When I was twenty, the then king of Nagarythe, Malekith, was ordered by the Phoenix King of the time Bel Shanaar, to investigate word of a…a Chaos cult essentially.

Now, Malekith was jealous of Bel Shanaar because Malekith was the son of the first Phoenix King, Aenarion the Defender, and Bel Shanaar had been elected Phoenix King instead of him, so when Bel Shanaar ordered Malekith to investigate this cult, Malekith came up with a plan to crown himself Phoenix King.' Alith paused for breath, and the hatred and bitterness he had over the tale was obvious.

'What is the Phoenix King? What's Chaos? You're not making any sense.' Complained Eréniyä.

Alith sighed, and muttered a choice curse under his breath.

Although it took about an hour, Alith gave Eréniyäa brief overview of the elven gods, Asuryan, Khaine, Vaul, Morai-Heg, Isha, Lileath and Kirnous, as well as some of the legends associated with them.

Then he gave her another brief overview of the elven kingdoms of Chrace, Caledor, Ellyrion, Saphery, Eataine,Tyranoc, Yvresse, Cothique and Avelorn, as well as his own shattered home kingdom Naggarythe.

Another half-hour was spent recounting the legend of the first great Chaos incursion, and the rise of Aenarion the Defender.

And another five minutes were spent explaining the rulership of Ulthuan, about the Everqueen of Avelorn, determined by hereditary, and the Pheonix King of Ulthuan, elected by popular vote.

'The elves of your home put great stock in superstition, and that which they cannot prove.' Observed Eréniyä dryly.

Alith looked at her sharply, and gestured with his spit to her. 'Only a fool doubts the existence of the gods in the Old World, for the deities of my world are far from benevolent, or even ambivalent, most are aggressive, fickle entities that delight in warping the minds and bodies of those who worship them, and those that do not.' Said Alith, 'take the Sword of Khaine upon the Blighted Isle for example: Aenarion used it to drive back the Chaos hordes, and doomed his line in the process, and ever since, Dark Elves and High Elves alike have been drawn by it's power, but never again has it been drawn.'

Eréniyä was silent.

'So, Malekith pretended to be horrified at the depravity and evil that infested Naggarythe, and denounced the Chaos cults, even his own mother, who was revealed to be the high priestess of the cult, but Malekith _also _declared Bel Shanaar as a secret member of the cult, and had him poisoned before the Phoenix King could rebuke the charges, then, Malekith _tried_ to pass through the Flame of Asuryan, but was turned back by the flames, and he nearly died of it; He and his allies fled the shrine, into the north once more.

'This is where I enter the story: my father stood against the depravity of Morathi, and the Chaos cult, and Malekith came down hard on anyone who didn't support his rebellion.' The sadness deepened in his tone as he continued, undeniable grief etched in his bearing.

'My father, and the other families that supported the Phoenix King met Malekith's army at Dark Fen, and my father, a great general, inflicted horrific casualties on the Dark Elves, and it seemed we might be able to rout them for a moment, then, when my father committed to the battle, and the banner of the Anars was raised, it seemed we might be able to prevail, despite being sorely pressed.'

Alith spat on the coals.

'Our hope, like our banner, flew for only a moment longer, before it was crushed beneath the bulk of the Chaos corrupted dragon that the Dark Elf general rode.'

Alith stared into the coals for a long moment.

'My father's last act was to warn me, to flee and hide, before he passed into the halls of Morai-Heg.' He said, quietly, with barely controlled grief.

Eréniyä looked at Alith with a look of sadness. 'I'm sorry…' She said softly, 'if you want, you can tell me the rest another time.' She offered.

'No, better you hear it all now.' Said Alith gruffly.

Eréniyä nodded her understanding, and Alith took a moment to compose himself once more.

'Not many of those loyal to the Phoenix King survived that battle, and those of us who did, were harried through the fens and marshes for weeks, until the Dark Elves finally gave us up for dead.'

'When my warriors and myself came out from hiding, and returned to our ancestral home, we found it in ruins.'

'Many of the elderly and innocent were dead, and my grandfather, I learned from one of the few who managed to escape, was dragged to the dungeons of the capital, Anlec, which was the heart of Naggarythe; He was never seen again.'

'That same day, my warriors and I swore terrible oaths of vengeance.'

'We became a grievous thorn in Malekith's side, butchering reinforcements, destroying supply trains, and causing what grief we could; After the last battle, the Sundering, my Shadow Warriors and myself began clearing out those Dark Elves who remained behind, sparing none.'

'Soon, we became regarded by other Elves as little better than the Dark Elves.'

'The reason behind that, is because of our oath: We swore to never rest until every last Dark Elf was dead.' Said Alith firmly.

'Truly then, your kinsmen in Ulthuan have a good idea of your character.' Eréniyä said with a disgusted look.

Alith regarded her evenly. 'How old are you, young one, for you must be ancient indeed for you to be able to judge such things so quickly.' Asked Alith.

Eréniyä blushed slightly, embarrassed. 'I am indeed young, only twenty-one, but no matter what grievance these Dark Elves did, surely it can't be so evil as for you to swear such an oath?' Said Eréniyä aghast.

'The whole of Ulthuan, and every elf besides throughout the Old World, not to mention the other victims of those base and depraved Reavers be they human, dwarf, or otherwise, would beg to differ!' Said Alith forcibly, standing up fast.

'Besides, a chance of redemption exists for my Warriors and me: If we fulfil our oath, Lileath will forgive us for the grievous wrongs we have had to commit in the course of our war.' Said Alith.

'There you go putting your faith in that which you can't prove exists again.' Said Eréniyä derisively.

Alith drew his bow and thrust into Eréniyä's hands.

'Do you know any craft by which a weapon such as this could've been forged?' Alith demanded.

Eréniyä scrutinised the bow for a long moment.

It glittered in the moonlight with a pale radiance, was about shoulder height to Alith, and had a crescent moon set at the ears of each arch of it's shape.

'No,' she said at last, 'no, I've never seen the like of this before.' Said Eréniyä with a shake of her head.

'This bow was gifted to me by Lileath herself, the day I swore vengeance.' Said Alith, slinging the bow over his shoulder once more.

Eréniyä glared at Alith for a long moment. 'It is late, and I think I shall sleep now, I hope these deranged ravings of yours are simply the delusions of freedom. See you in the morning.' She said flatly, then laid down at the base of the boulder she'd been leaning on, and entered the waking-dream that was sleep for the immortal elves of Alagaësia.

Alith glared at Eréniyä for a long moment, then said. 'Daroir, Elui Thalui, Harathoi Harathoi,' then jumped on to a small ledge created by two of the rocks leaning against each other.

Drawing his bow, Alith nocked an arrow, and resigned himself to not sleeping, keeping a close watch on the surrounds.

**Bloody hell, that was a _bastard_ of a chapter to write:**

**I had to condense the High Elf pantheon, the twin thrones of Ulthuan, the kingdoms of Ulthuan, the Realm of Chaos, the first Chaos incursion, **_**and**_** the story of Alith Anar and the Sundering into one chapter without rewriting the High Elf Army Book.**

_**And**_** the history of Alagaësia.**

**I had to put all of that in one chapter.**

**I've tried to make it as interesting as possible, and put some barriers between Eréniyä and Alith as well, so, if you're going to go off at me for such a filler chapter: This **_**had to be done!**_

**Hopefully the next chapter will be more exciting:**

**A sleep deprived Alith Anar, and a hungry, teenage she-elf.**

**This ought to be fun!**

**If anyone wishes to look up anything about WHFB characters mentioned in this story, Google 'Lexicanum' then go to the WHFB link, and type in what you want to know about.**

**Review please, and:**

**My new sign off:**

**NO ONE LINERS!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Dreams And Visions And The Morning After

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

It was the wee hours of the morning, when the world sleeps, and waits for the first light of a new day.  
Alith hadn't moved from his watch since he'd assumed it, nearly seven hours before.  
Suddenly, a chill wind rose from the east.  
Alith lifted his head, and scanned the eastern horizon.  
There was a feeling on the wind, one of purity, like a half remembered dream.

There.

A sudden flash on the horizon, then, a light, pure white, like moonlight.  
Alith blinked, and next thing he knew, the light was right on top of him.  
With a start, Alith fell off his perch, and fell to the ground, narrowly missing the coals of the fire.  
The light streamed through the gaps between the rocks, and, a rock, disturbed by the wind, landed squarely on Alith's forehead, and he passed out.

* * *

And instantly, he was awake, feeling refreshed, restored, and thoroughly at ease, and not as if he'd just been knocked unconscious in the middle of enemy territory.  
Standing up warily, Alith looked down, and noticed two things immediately:  
First, his feet were on the ground, but his ankles disappeared through the chest of his unconscious body.  
And second, he was naked.  
A sideways glance revealed a beautiful woman in a translucent, blue-white dress.

Her skin was alabaster white, and glowed like moonlight.  
When she raised her head to Alith, he was immediately taken by her vivid grey eyes.  
Her hair was like silver wire, that reached her shoulders, and as she cocked her head, Alith saw her pointed ears.

'Lileath…' Whispered Alith in awe, and knelt before her, averting his gaze.  
'Okay… now I _know_ I'm dreaming.' Said Eréniyä, shaking her head as if to clear it.  
Her consciousness was sitting up from her body, like Alith, next to Lileath, and she two was naked.  
'You're not.' Said Alith, to her, but his eyes were lowered.  
If Lileath wished to favour the elven maid with her presence, then that was the decision of the goddess.  
A cool, smooth, hand that glowed with the cool radiance of the moon, lifted Alith's chin, until he looked upon the goddess's face.  
Lileath gestured, and Alith was clothed in a simple, white tunic.  
Eréniyä was now likewise clothed.  
Another gesture, and the rocks formed depressions for the three to sit in.

Lileath sat wearily in one of the depressions, and motioned for Alith and Eréniyä to do the same.  
They both sat mutely, Eréniyä warily, and Alith reverently.  
Lileath gave Alith an enigmatic glance, then smiled wanly.  
'I never thought that I would see the day when the borders between the Old World, and Alagaësia would be crossed,' she said.  
Alith remained silent, not in the least surprised that Lileath should know of the strange land he found himself in.  
'I take it you're wondering what your next course of action should be?' Lileath enquired, glancing into Alith's cold eyes easily.  
'I do not wonder what my next course of action will be: hunt down Dromino and his warband, and destroy them, then turn the moon bow on this Galbatorix for having the temerity to try and enslave me,' replied Anar coldly.  
Lileath nodded, as if she'd expected as much.  
'That is what I knew you would do, however, you and the Druchii are not the only ones to have crossed between the worlds: the chaos creatures you know as the Skaven have also discovered a way to enter this world, and they prepare to pour forth, you must gather allies and stop them; whether the Loremaster of Hoeth has foreseen this and prepared a response or not I do not know, but I would not expect aid on this venture, unless you can earn it from the native population of this land.' She said.  
'The Skaven?' Asked Alith incredulously, 'how did those creatures get here?'  
'That is the work of one of their engineers, although I do not pretend to know how it is possible; I am the goddess of magic and innocence, not impossible techno-sorcery.' Replied Lileath dryly.  
'As for you, young one,' said Lileath, glancing at Eréniyä, 'Anar will travel with you to the great forest, do not think ill of him for what he has done, and must accomplish; he will do much to redeem himself in this quest, but he will need your help,' admonished Lileath.  
'I cannot linger here, it is difficult at the best of times to spare time for this world, being so comparatively peaceful when compared to the Old World, but events are brewing around the Island of Blood, and the Asur gather to intervene if necessary.' She said.

Anar blinked in confusion, vaguely recalling that a group of elves had sacrificed themselves during the first Great Chaos Incursion to seal a rift spilling magic into the world, and undermining Caledor Dragontamer's planned magic siphoning-vortex.  
He went to ask the goddess for some elaboration, but she vanished, and his awareness faded into oblivion.

* * *

He awoke with the sun upon his face, feeling refreshed, and not as if he'd fallen ten feet during the night, then been struck on the head with a rock.  
Alith glanced around, and saw Eréniyä already awake, and making a rather unappetising meal of seeds and small fruits.  
'How is it you managed ti fall asleep on watch?' She asked, not looking up.  
'I was knocked out shortly after a freak wind-storm blew through out of nowhere.' Replied Alith stiffly, before accepting his own share of Eréniyä's forage.  
They ate in silence a while, then Eréniyä glanced over at him.  
'Have you ever heard of creatures called Skaven?' She asked.  
'You had a dream last night didn't you? And I was in it.' Stated Alith.  
Eréniyä nodded slowly.  
'Our state before Lileath clothed us aside, what she told me makes me nervous, the Skaven are a race that are an unholy fusion of rat and human, and seek to drown the world in anarchy and pestilence.' Said Alith unconcerned. 'Alone they're complete cowards, but in groups they're vicious fighters, and rather inventive in terms of finding ways to cause destruction and mayhem.' He added darkly.  
'That doesn't sound so bad.' Eréniyä said with an involuntary shiver.  
'They're far worse than my rather tame description, I assure you.' Said Alith, then stood.  
'Now, do you believe me yet about everything I told you last night?' He asked.  
'As little regard I have for superstitions relating to gods, I can't deny that you were telling the truth.' Replied Eréniyä reluctantly.  
'Good, now, let's get going before the sun climbs any higher.' Said Alith, and started out north.

**Yeah, this chapter gave me utter hell until I struck on the notion of having the Skaven as villains instead of Dark Elves.**

**Dromino and co. WILL end up dead, but they're secondary now.**

**Instead, Alagaësia is about to face a very bad rat-plague…**

**So, until I manage to get another chapter up for THIS story, I'll shamelessly advertise my current project (Brothers in Arms, a **_**Temeraire\Inheritance Cycle **_**crossover.) and recommend you have a look.**

**So, 'til next time:**

**No One-liners.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Northward Bound…

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

Alith and Eréniyä,-two elves from very different worlds and cultures, with completely different philosophies,- set out north towards Du Welden Varden in uneasy companionship.  
For the next month by Alith's reckoning they headed north, sustaining themselves on forage mainly due to the scarcity of worthwhile game.

Once during that trek they were set upon head on by slavers, which they struck down without mercy in short order, sparing none, and stealing supplies and three horses in the aftermath.

And throughout this, despite their differences, the two learnt things about the other.

Eréniyä found that Alith was a more than capable healer when he dressed the injuries she'd sustained while at Brandise's mercy.  
Alith for his part largely focused on trying to think of the best way to find and kill Dromino and his warband, thwart whatever the Skaven were up to and find his way back to the Old World.

He did learn that Eréniyä had been partially tutored in magic, and that the reason she'd been captured was she'd run away because she'd chaffed at her father's protectiveness, and as a consequence had been captured by woodsmen from the city of Ceunon who'd decided to make some quick money by selling her as a slave.

* * *

Two weeks later, they sighted a small settlement by the shore of a lake.

'Gil'ead, we'd better be careful, that's one of Galbatorix's army's main staging posts.' Eréniyä said.  
'We'll need supplies if we're heading into the forest.' Alith pointed out.  
'It is an easy enough matter to find food in Du Welden Varden if you know what to look for.' Eréniyä replied dismissively.  
'Perhaps,' Alith said, 'but I will acquire some supplies tonight to be sure, we're not under the bows of those vaunted pines of yours yet.'

* * *

It took the pair several hours to find a suitable campsite, and with that task completed the pair settled down to wait.  
When the sun was finally down, Alith crept stealthily into the city, before taking to the rooftops to avoid the guard patrols.  
Some methodical searching revealed that almost all the rough-cut log buildings were barracks, though Alith did eventually find a storehouse, and proceeded to acquire a set of new clothes, as well as a suit of chain mail armour and other supplies.

The chain mail was of nowhere near the same quality as the suit he'd been wearing prior to his capture, but at that moment some form of armour was better than none.  
He also took the precaution of acquiring a second set for Eréniyä for when her wounds finally healed.  
Along with these, Alith also stole as much food as he could, as well as a pair of packs.  
Thus burdened, he stealthily exited the warehouse, before making his way back to the camp, careful to make sure he wasn't being followed and surprised to see that the night was nearly dawn.

* * *

When he re-entered the camp, he immediately knew something had happened.  
Eréniyä's scant few possessions were scattered about, and the she-elf in question was nowhere to be seen, and a trio of dead creatures that reminded Alith of orcs,-excepting their horns and the fact they were grey skinned instead of green,- were the camp's only inhabitants.  
A tumult of tracks headed back towards the city, but a smaller group went to the north.  
Alith deftly drew the moon bow and followed these tracks.  
He came to another small clearing, startling a bird nesting in a bush which twittered in startlement.  
A guttural shout broke the quiet a moment afterward, before Alith could get a good look at the camp's inhabitants.

He pulled his bow to full draw, and sighted another of the horned, grey-skinned orcs, this one wielding in a mattock, only for it to explode in a flash of blue light.  
He switched targets, then decided to watch on.  
He'd just got a good look at the camp's inhabitants:  
One blue dragon, two young men,-one wielding a wine-red sword, the other a normal hand-and-a-half sword,- and two horses.

He deduced pretty quickly that the two humans were skilful swordsmen,-though nowhere near the same skill level as even the most untested inhabitant of Ulthuan.  
The dragon appeared incapable of breathing fire as of yet, as well as a little on the small side, so Alith assumed it was rather young.  
The young man with the red blade also appeared to be a magician, of marginally more skill than Eréniyä.  
Then Alith saw this man get clubbed over the head by one of the orcs, and get promptly spirited away, leaving the other young man and the dragon to the mercy of their brethren.

With a resigned sigh, Alith shouldered his bow once again as it was all too likely he'd injure the other man or the dragon with the bow's enchanted arrows, opting for his sword instead.  
Then, invoking the shadow crown's power, Alith broke cover and struck down the remaining eight orc-creatures, impaling four, beheading two, and bisecting the remaining two, before parrying the second man's blade and trapping it against his side, only to end up pinned by the dragon's talons.

He glanced up to see the gleaming sapphire eye of the dragon boring into him.  
Then the second man put his blade to Alith's neck.  
'Who're you?' He asked dangerously.  
Alith grinned dangerously.  
'You obviously weren't listening a few moments ago.' He replied.

**Okay, so yes, I am at last bringing actual IC characters into this.**

**Also, if anyone who knows the High Elves would like to suggest unit types to put against the Skaven, or how I should go about bringing Skaven into this and what to give them would like to start making suggestions, that'd be appreciated.**

**I've also dropped the rating by one because I reckon that's why I'm getting so few reviews here.**

**If I got that wrong, please, let me know.**

**Thanks to Hideout Writer for reviewing last chapter, event hough that was a couple of months back.**

'**til next winter: (If anyone gets that reference, please, mention it.)**

**No One-liners.**


End file.
